"It's all right, old man," exclaimed Phil in a low voice. "Everything's O.K. How are things?"
"Ravenous, the pair of us," declared Alwyn.
"I thought so," rejoined the Fourth Officer, "and so as a reward for a good little boy I've brought both of you some grub. Save you drawing on the tinned stuff," he added.
"And Young Bill?"
"Young Bill is there," replied Branscombe, indicating the cave. "She's as plucky as they make 'em. The Old Man got a move on at the finish. Do you want to see him? If so, he's on the top of the cliff."
Burgoyne shook his head. He couldn't speak just then because he was munching bread and bully beef.
"No," he replied at length. After his strenuous exertions and with the prospect of more to come before very long, he did not feel equal to the task of ascending and descending the cliff. "No, he gave me final instructions. I don't think there's anything else. Hello! Why, that's Mostyn! Thought you were still on the sick list, old man. What are you doing here?"
"Coming along with you," replied the Wireless Officer. "Old Man's orders."
"Dash it all!" exclaimed Burgoyne, somewhat taken aback at the prospect of being saddled with a man who not so long since had been lying on his back with a score or more of wounds. "What do you know about handling a boat?"
"I wasn't always a wireless bloke," replied Mostyn.